Aquaman Family

The super-hero known as Aquaman was born Orin, heir to the throne of Atlantis. Aquaman's lineage and family tree is extensive, and often inconsistent. Some records of Aquaman's early years have been whitewashed over the years, some of which, recorded by Aquaman himself, cont

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History

The super-hero known as Aquaman was born Orin, heir to the throne of Atlantis. Aquaman's lineage and family tree is extensive, and often inconsistent. Some records of Aquaman's early years have been whitewashed over the years, some of which, recorded by Aquaman himself, contradict information set forth in the Atlantis Chronicles.

Though it remained largely unknown for many years, Orin's father was the ancient Atlantean wizard, Atlan. His mother was the former Queen of Atlantis, Atlanna. The one family member whom Arthur most took after however, is the one whose existence had the greatest impact on his life, his uncle - Kordax. Kordax was an evil tyrant who was distinguished from other Atlanteans because of his bright, blond hair. Because of this, all Atlanteans born with blond hair, were said to be a deformed child of ill omen. Those who bore inherited the "Curse of Kordax" were often put to death while still an infant. Atlanna, under pressure from the Atlantean council, placed the baby Orin on the tip of Mercy Reef. It was believed that when the low tide exposed the infant to the open air, it would die in the rays of the sun. Orin however, possessed the ability to breathe air, just as easily as water, and survived this cursed fate. In addition, Orin could telepathically communicate with all sea life, a trait not shared by his fellow Atlanteans.

The first true mother that Orin ever knew was the dolphin known as Porm. Though a marine mammal, Porm loved her "swimmer" as much as any mother could. Orin remained under her protection from infancy until the time he was roughly seventeen years old.

By this time, he encountered a man whom he would come to regard as a father. This was fisherman and lighthouse keeper, Thomas Curry. Some accounts record his name as Arthur Curry, but this was actually the name that Orin took for himself so he could relate to surface dwellers more readily. Orin, now known as Arthur, stayed with Tom Curry for many years.[1][2]

When the wanderlust hit young Orin, he traveled North to the lands of the Inupiat people of Northwestern Alaska. Here, he began a short romance with a woman named Kako. Orin soon learned that Kako was actually the cousin to Orin's half-brother, Orm Marius. Like Orin, Orm was a son of Atlan, though his mother was an Inupiat. Orin's affair with Kako was brief, but she did give him a child, a boy named Koryak. Orin left Alaska without ever learning of the pregnancy, and it was years before he would discover that he had a son with her.

Orin eventually returned to the land of his birth, Atlantis. Because of his blond hair, he was seized by the Atlantean guards and placed into the Aquarium Prison. During this time, he met the wizened war veteran Vulko, but also had a chance encounter with his birth mother Atlanna, though she soon passed away of natural causes soon after.[3]

Orin matured into a strong, young man and began adventuring under the super-hero name Aquaman. Early in his career, Aquaman found an orphaned boy from Tritonis named Garth. Aquaman took Garth under his wing and dubbed him Aqualad. Over the years, Orin came to regard Garth as his own son.[4]

Aquaman begat his own family line when he met an amphibian woman from an alien dimension named Mera.[5] The two fell in love and were married right about the same time that Aquaman was crowned king of Atlantis.[6] Soon after, Aquaman and Mera had a son named Arthur Curry, Jr.. Note: Some accounts identify him as Arthur Curry III, but this information is no longer considered authoritative.[7]

Another Atlantean who became a close friend of the ever-growing family, was the teenage girl Tula. Assuming the code name Aquagirl, Tula became a close confidante of Aqualad and a part-time member of the Teen Titans.[8]

It was only two short years later when the Aquaman family suffered one of its greatest tragedies. The villainous Black Manta had kidnapped young "Aquababy" and placed him within a poison tank. Aquaman and Aqualad tried desperately to save him, and even Mera made an extended journey to Dimension Aqua in the hopes of finding the tools that could save the boy's life, but it was all for naught. Arthur Curry, Jr. died. He was buried beneath the mound of coral at Mercy Reef.[9][10][11]

Tragedy struck the Aqua-Family a second time during the "Crisis on Infinite Earths". The super-villain known as Chemo poisoned the waters surrounding New York's East River. Aquagirl was present during this conflict and died soon after ingesting the tainted water.[12]

It was the death of Aquababy though that forever darkened Aquaman and Mera's marriage. She eventually suffered a severe mental breakdown and blamed Aquaman for their child's death. After a bitter feud that nearly cost Mera her own life, she abandoned Orin, returning to her native dimension.[13]

The Aqua-Family was all but destroyed. Aquaman's demeanor darkened incredibly and his situation was made even worse after losing his hand following a battle with the mad villain Charybdis.[14]

It was shortly after this harrowing event that Aquaman began to discover more about his true heritage. He learned about his father Atlan and met his first son, Koryak, now an adult. At this time, he came into conflict with his great uncle, Kordax, who was revealed to still be alive. Aquaman eventually reunited with Mera, though he was also romantically linked with another undersea heroine, Dolphin. In the intervening years, Mera had given birth to a blond-haired son named A.J.. While it is possible that A.J. is Orin's child, he may also be the son of Thanatos, an Aquaman doppelgänger from Dimension Aqua. Aquaman ended his tryst with Dolphin and Mera and he began to slowly rebuild their relationship.

Some time later, Aquaman learned that Atlan had another child named Debbie Perkins. Known as Deep Blue, Debbie Perkins was the daughter of the World War II heroine Tsunami. Tsunami was married to fellow All-Star Squadron member Neptune Perkins, who raised Debbie as his own child. Debbie became a close associate of the deep-sea adventurers the Sea Devils and as such, became a close ally of Aquaman as well.

Aquaman's partner, Aqualad, had gone through many of his own changes through the years. As an adult, he became an apprentice under Aquaman's father Atlan, and developed the ability to wield mystical energy. Now calling himself Tempest, Garth began a relationship with Dolphin and the two were eventually married. They had a child whom they named Cerdian after an opposing nation that once went to war with Atlantis.

Years later, Aquaman lost his first son Koryak who died while fighting in the so-called "Infinite Crisis" At this time, Atlantis was destroyed by the unstable Spectre, and Tempest, Doplhin, and Cerdian were considered missing in action.

Rounding out Aquaman's family line is his nephew, Arthur Joseph Curry. Arthur Joseph is the son of Phillip and Elaine Curry, blood relatives of Aquaman's adoptive father Tom Curry.[15]